Oberlin College Athletics

The Albino Squirrels FC are kicking off our season with games scheduled for September 24. The tentative schedule pits us against Cleveland State University at 11 a.m. and Wooster at 1:30 p.m. To prepare our squad has been undergoing rigorous training regiments on North Fields. New co-captain Eliza Poor said the following about the games "Wow, I'm very excited. How fun." With dedicated president Ben Gillen at the helm for his second year, the club soccer team has never looked better. We have a ton of first years ready to tear up next weekend.

The Oberlin Obliviators had their first quidditch tournament of the year this past Saturday at the College of Wooster. The team is mostly comprised of first-years new to the sport, and they all did a great job, especially since they have only been playing quidditch for about two weeks!. Though the team didn't win any of their three matches, they had a fantastic day and learned a lot. The taste of competition left the Obliviators psyched for their upcoming home match against The Case Western on September 24.

The Gruff’s season started strong with Steve Meyer scoring his first try as a Gruff. After a hard game, the Sir congratulated both teams for such a phenomenal game. He mentioned rugby becoming more Americanized with the mindset of win/lose, but loved to see both teams play for the love of the sport. It was refreshing to hear the love the sport is held as a priority. As Gruffs we emphasize self improvement and progress as a motto. We lost a lot players due to graduation, but we gained a lot of players. We always emphasize asking questions. We don't mind asking as many questions because it means we will learn and grow as an individual and a unit. Last year we got outplayed by Ashland. This year, all the increased communication, willing to learn from mistakes, and the love of the sport resulted in a much better match. Despite our loss, we felt like winners. The Sir talked to us an congratulated both teams on such a well played game. In the next couple of weeks, we will continue working hard and improving as a unit. Working on fundamentals and being able to translate them in game is key. Most importantly, keeping the love for Rugby, and our commitment to support each other will play a vital role in our progress as a team.

This week, the Flaming Blades welcomed several new fencers and launched the first practices of the season. A notable new addition to the team is Lance — our brand new training dummy, who joined the team to help drill us in bladework, lunge distance, point control, and a variety of other skills. We’re gearing up for the season and our first tournament, held at OSU on October 16.